The Omen movies are some of the best horror movies. It’s a must-watch franchise. Surprisingly, many may not even realize there is more than the original The Omen and 2024’s The First Omen. The Omen franchise includes six movies, two TV series, and a few novels.
The Omen movies have a fascinating trajectory similar to other horror movie franchises, like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Child’s Play, where the films have varying levels of seriousness and quality. Some Omen movies are near horror movie masterpieces, but the others are almost parodies. Here’s how The Omen movies rank from worst to best.
6. Omen IV: The Awakening
Omen IV: The Awakening is a straight-to-TV movie. It feels like it. It’s one of the tamest of the Omen movies because the plot removes most of the gore and destruction of the previous three films. The killings are mild and the new Omen child barely strikes fear. It premiered on Fox in 1991 and follows a young girl named Delia, a descendant of Damien.
The movie never quite feels like a true Omen movie, and because it was made for television, it’s not scary or even that interesting. Omen IV: The Awakening is an unfortunate film because it could have been a restart for the franchise, especially with a new antichrist child. Instead, it’s just a dud.
5. The Omen (2006)
The Omen is a 2006 remake of the original The Omen. It stars Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, and Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick. It follows the original film very faithfully. In terms of remakes, it’s not a bad one. However, it just doesn’t feel like a necessary film. The original doesn’t need improvement so the remake feels like a missed opportunity and a waste of time.
Just as a film, it doesn’t add much to the Omen franchise. The Omen is an all-right movie but can’t stand on its own without comparison to the original. The 2006 version is far inferior to the original. It almost makes you mad that they remade it.
4. The Omen III: The Final Conflict
The Final Conflict is the third film in the Omen franchise. In many ways, it concludes the original trilogy. The Final Conflict stars Sam Neill as an adult Damien Thorn. This film kind of reaches a middle ground between very serious and slightly comical. The storyline is fairly interesting and a balanced movie. As a standalone movie, it’s enjoyable.
The main issue is that it feels anticlimactic. If this was the end of The Omen series, it would have been a lackluster ending. The other two films have built up this major conflict between Damien and humanity. It ends in a very low-energy way.
3. Damien-Omen II
This Omen movie follows a teen Damien as he begins his new life with his new family. It’s Daimen’s struggle against his destiny. Damien-Omen II feels like the film where the series decided its direction. The Final Conflict and Omen II feel more alike than the original Omen movie. Though Damien is a big downgrade from the original film, it’s a lot of fun.
It has so many over-the-top death scenes that just make the film entertaining. Damien-Omen II may not be the best of the franchise but it’s definitely the most memorable in terms of ridiculousness. It’s a fun movie that sometimes takes itself seriously, but only in rare occasions.
2. The First Omen
The First Omen is a 2024 prequel. It explains how Damien entered the world. The First Omen is creepy and a well-done modern horror film. Nell Tiger Free gives another haunting performance as the main protagonist.
The First Omen feels the most aligned with the original film. It feels like it belongs in that world more so than some other movies in The Omen series. It’s an impressive prequel, especially one done decades after the original. You can feel the respect the team behind the movie had for The Omen.
1. The Omen
The Omen follows Robert Thorn as he adopts (without his wife’s knowledge) a young boy. The boy just happens to be the antichrist. Things continue to escalate as Robert learns more about his new son. Can he stop him before he truly unleashes evil in the world?
Gregory Peck is fantastic in this movie and one of the reasons why it’s such a stand-out film. Plus, it really does set the bar high as this compelling horror film. The Omen has so many iconic pop culture moments and is a highlight of the ‘70s cinema. It’s a memorable movie that deserves its place in film history.
All The Omen films are available to stream on Hulu.
What is your favorite of The Omen movies?
